Washing machine



J. B. FLETCHER WASHING MACHINE 7 July 1, 1930.

Filed Decv 29, 1.927

John B. Fletcher Patented July 1, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JOHN B. FLETCHER, FTAMPA, FLOBiIDA WASHING MACHINE Application filed December 29, 1927.Serial No. 243,385.

My invention relates to a combined washin machine and dry cleaner and itis an ob ect of the invention to provide a device of this characterwherein the articles to be cleansed are subjected to an upwardlydirected stream of the cleansing solution which is forced against andthrough them so as to cleanse and thoroughly free them from dirt andother foreign matter.

1 Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of simpleconstruction which may be easily assembled and taken apart if the sameis desired or necessary and one which is devoid of unnecessary parts,all as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof andon which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a machine illustrating oneapplication of my invention,

Figure 2, a fragmentary section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and Figure 3,a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In the drawings reference character 10 indicates a frame or stand formedof pipe and provided with an angle-iron member 11 which forms a supportfor a circular tank 12. The circular tank 12 is provided with a conicalbottom 13 and with a lid 14 hinged at 15 and having-a handle 16 by meansof which it may be lifted and any desired clamping means may be used forfastening the lid in closed position.

The conical bottom 13 of the tank rests upon a support 17 and a stuffingbox 18 is supported within an opening in the lower end of the tank andextends through the motor bracket or support 17 for holding the tankfirmly in position. A bracket 19 is fastened by means of rivets acrossthe bottom of the tank and forms a false bottom as well as a reenforcingbracket and supporting means for the stuffing box. A propeller 20 isrigidly supported on a shaft 21 which runs through the ball bearingstuffing box 18 with a beveled or mitered gear 22 fixed on the lower endof the shaft and adapted to be driven from a beveled or mitered pinion23 of the motor 24. A plurality of battle plates 25 are disposed in theconical bottom portion of the tank spaced slightly from the bottom ofthe same, there being preferably four in number, each of which has acutout portion 25 to accommodate the propeller 20 and with its lowerportion adapted to fit into the stufiing box 18. The baffle plates 25are designed to prevent rotary action of the water and afford a constantsupply of wafier or other cleansing fluid to the prope er.

In order to support the clothes or other articles to be cleansed, a wiremesh or per- 55 forated sub-bottom 26 is placed on the baflle plates 25just above the propeller 20. By this construction I obtain a much largeragitation and better distribution of force as well as a simplifiedmachine.

The sub-bottom 26 may be retained in position by any desired means but Ihave shown hooks 27 adapted to extend through slots 28 in the bafileplates 25, the sub-bottom being placed in position and given a partialrotation to secure it in position.

A combination supply and drain pipe 29 has communication with the bottomof the tank and I provide a three-way valve 30 operable by a handle 31for admitting hot or cold water into the tank, for shutting off thesupply, or for permitting the drainage of the contents through a drainpipe 32. Hot and cold water pipes 33 and 34 respectively are providedand have hand valves 35 and 36 for controlling the suppl of hot and coldwater through the pipe 3; to the threeway valve 30.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in my device without departing from the spirit of the invention,and I, therefore, do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawingsand described in the specification, but only as set forth in theappended claims.

Having thus fully described the said invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A receptacle, an impeller in the bottom of said receptacle, baflleplates disposed in upright position in the bottom of the receptacle withtheir lower edges spaced above the bottom of the receptacle, said bafileplates .having portions extending beneath the impeller and with their uper edges terminating in a substantia 1y horizontal plane above theimpeller, an article support? comprising a flat plate resting upon saidbafile plates providing an unobstructed article receivincompartmentabove the bafile plates, and astening means for securing.said article support upon said baflie plates comprising hooks carriedby the article support adapted to enter slots in the baffle plates upona partial rotation of the article support, substantiall as set forth.

2. A washing mac ine comprising a vertical shaft, an impeller on theupper portion of the shaft, and bafile plates disposed around theimpeller the upper edges of the bafiie plates terminating in alane'above the impeller, said baffle plates aving portions extendingbeneath the im eller to substantially its axis'whereby find below theimpeller between the bafiie plates is prevented from being carriedaround with the impeller but will be caused to pass inwardly toward theimpeller and be operated upon by the same, substantially as set forth.

'3. A washing machine comprising a re-' ceptacle having a bottominclined for directing liquid toward its center, a shaft disposed inupright position in said receptacle, an impeller in the bottom of saidreceptacle mounted on said shaft, baflie plates disposed in uprightposition with their lower edges spaced slightly from the bottom of thereceptacle, the upper edges of the baffle plates being disposed in asubstantially horizontal plane above the impeller, said bafile platesbeing formed with cut out portions at their inner ends to accommodatethe impeller between the upper and lower edges of the same and havingextensions located beneath the impeller with their inner extremitiesdisposed in close proximity to each other, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Tampa, Florida, thistwentyseventh day of December, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-seven.i 7

JOHN B. FLETCHER.

